Despicable Us
by caffeinated fanfiction
Summary: A mysterious organization seems to be after Gru! And amid his other troubles, he meets a beautiful young woman. Could she be the perfect lover or the perfect enemy?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: So this is dedicated to my friend's fanfiction. We all remember her fondly. But she took down her fanfic, so it is no more! **

**So I decided to rewrite it! The OC Wren belongs to her, as well as the basic ideas. But the rewrite is mine~ **

**All of the characters belong to the movie Despicable Me. **  
><strong>BUT THE REWRITE IS MINE. <strong>  
><strong>I MISS YOU.<br>**

**I've also posted this fic on my Deviantart account, as well as any future drawings I'm sure to do for it. So check it out~ The address is on my profile~  
><strong>

Chapter 1.

"Here is the file on your next target." A thin man with a firm jaw carelessly tossed a manila folder onto the desk in front of him. A woman reached over, pulled the folder close to her, and opened it. She gazed over the contents silently as the man sat back in his chair. "Find him, and do whatever you must to get the information we need. You are dismissed." With a nod, the woman left the room, taking the file with her.

She walked down the hall, opening the folder to expose the picture of her current target. "Very well." She smiled cheekily as she memorized the subject's face. "You're about to get a visitor, Felonious Gru."

* * *

><p>"Please dad?" A small voice pleaded from the backseat of a very unusual car that was busily making its way through the town. This car was about two stories tall, had a jet engine to push it along, and was seemingly made out of tinfoil. While it seemed odd to all passerby, the family it contained found nothing strange about it.<p>

"I am saying the no! I am saying it over and over!" Gru snapped in reply. He was a tall man, and his little, bald head seemed to connect to his broad shoulders without any neck at all. Just months ago, Gru had adopted three small daughters, and he was quickly discovering how frustrating parenthood could be.

"But dad! Everyone else will have something way cool for show and tell and I won't have anything!" His seven year old daughter Edith complained while kicking the back of his chair.

Gru turned around to face her, forgetting to watch the road. "You cannot bring my weapons to the showing and the telling!"

"Just one! Please! I won't even use it on anyone, I promise!" Edith clasped her hands and pouted her lips. Her already large blue eyes seemed to grow even larger and wider than Gru ever thought possible. He closed his eyes and sighed. A face like that was hard to say no to, but he wasn't about to let his daughter play around with his weapons.

"WATCH THE ROAD, DAD!" His eldest daughter Margo yelled, bringing Gru back to reality. He grabbed the wheel and narrowly avoided hitting a tree.

"Don't bother dad while he's driving, Edith!" Margo screamed at her sister.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Edith yelled back, throwing a small punch on the other's shoulder.

"How dare you!" Margo grabbed Edith's pink striped cap off her blonde head and held it high above the girl's reach.

"GIVE THAT BACK!" The seven year old barked as she yanked on the elder's brown ponytail.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

Sighing heavily, Gru put his hand to his head, the other planted firmly on the wheel. "Ugh. I cannot be driving like this." He then felt a small tug on his elbow. He looked over, and saw the smallest of his girls holding him lightly. Her enormous brown eyes seemed to be begging for attention. His heart melted as he put his hand on her tiny one. "What is it, Agnes?"

"Daaa…" She cooed softly. She was already six years old, but this adorable and tiny black headed girl could hardly form sentences. Gru didn't understand why; the doctor stated that she was perfectly healthy. He seemed to think it might be a problem with her mentality. Growing up as an orphan could not have been easy on her. For now, Gru could only wait patiently for her to catch up.

"Yes?" He asked her again, trying to juggle his attention between the road and the little girl who needed him.

"Une Une!" She pushed her favorite stuffed unicorn into her father's face. "UNE UNE WANT JUICEJUICE!" She bellowed. "JUUUUUUUUICE!"

"Juice? The unicorn wants juice? But we are going to be late, very late for school!"

"JUJUJU!" Agnes shouted as tears ran down her face. The other two girls stopped fighting and looked over at their younger sister. Edith, grinning widely, took advantage of the opportunity.

"Yeah dad! We need juice! We can't go to school without it! We won't be able to think good!"

"That's think _'well'_, Edith, you won't be able to think _well_." Margo snapped at her. She then paused. "Dad…she may have a point. Some juice might make them less cranky."

"JU JU JU JU!"

Gru groaned again. He was outnumbered; his only choice was to give in. "Fine." He sighed. "I will run in to a shop and buy some juice. But then we go right to school!"

"Yaay!" All three girls cheered together as Gru pulled his car into an empty parking space across from the local coffee shop.

"I will be right back. You girls stay in the car. Do not fight. Do not scream. Do not get out. Just stay here. It goes faster if I am alone." The girls all nodded, and Gru stepped out of the car and hurried into the shop.

As he opened the door, the twinkling sound of a bell greeted him. The aroma of coffee quickly met his nose, and his stress began to melt away. "Ah." He mused. "Much relief." He was glad he had agreed to stop by. Coffee was just what he needed. He then glanced to the register, and finally noticed the exceedingly long line that was formed by it. "Not a problem. My freeze ray should be able to handle this line." He grinned to himself as he reached for his bag.

His bag! He had forgotten it in the car! He smacked himself on the forehead. Not only did it carry his wallet, which was obviously going to be needed, but he had forgotten the all important freeze ray! His freeze ray: It was his favorite weapon out of all that he had invented. It would easily have let him fly to the front of the line. He'd be in and out in less than twenty seconds. But now….now they'd be late for sure.

"Freeze ray, huh?" Gru jumped in surprise as a voice from behind him spoke. "Just to avoid the line? A little impatient, are we?" He turned to face the voice that was speaking to him. His eyes met a beautiful young woman who was leaning against the wall. She had long, flowing, pale blonde hair that fell down to her waist, a brown sweater, and light cream pants that hugged her delicate legs. Gru realized he had spent too much time staring at her legs, and quickly returned his eyes to her face.

He looked at her, slightly embarrassed. Women usually didn't bother to talk to him; they were always too afraid. Or, even worse, they thought he wasn't cool enough to talk to. But now this gorgeous woman was speaking to him! His heart pounded as he spoke back. "W-What is it you mean, listening in on my conversations with…..my-myself…." His voice trailed off, and he turned away, feeling like a complete fool.

"Heh, embarrassed men sure are cute." She replied, straightening her posture and placing her graceful hands on to her curvy hips. "And you are _very_ embarrassed." Gru nodded dumbly in response, not knowing what to say. The slender woman giggled at him. "Well I bet it would have been a sight to see, this 'Freeze ray'." She looked him straight in the eyes when she said that, and Gru felt his heart stop. She had the most amazing grey eyes.

He shook his head. He had to say something; he was going to blow his chance! "Well yes, that is to say, the Freeze ray is very nice." He cleared his throat, knowing how stupid he must sound. "I uh-" He paused to think of something to add, anything that would make him seem interesting. "I made it! Yes, that ray is my very own invention." He smiled widely, hoping he had made an impression.

The woman grinned as well. "Really? That is very astounding! I have quite the interest in weapons, you know." Gru looked shocked. This woman…not only was she talking to him, but she was fascinated by weapons too! "I would love to see it sometime." She added; her hair swaying softly with even the smallest of movements.

_Is she really saying what I think it is she is saying? _Gru's thoughts raced. It took Gru a moment to get his mind back. "I-I suppose you c-could." Was all he could manage to blurt out.

She giggled once more, and then reached for her wallet. Her soft looking hands pulled out a card. She held it out to him, and after hesitating for a moment, he reached out and took it. "Call me." She said, as she turned around and exited the coffee shop.

Just as quickly as he met her, she had left. The moment was over before he could let it fully sink in. A woman told him to call her! Something like this, he had no experience with. His heart pounded as he glanced at her card. It was blank, except for a phone number on the bottom of the card. Underneath the number, a single name was written. "Wren." He read her name aloud; and as he did, he blushed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Check my first chapter cuz I am not going to constantly repeat myself. **

**Have fun reading~  
><strong>

Chapter 2.

After regaining his composure, Gru left the coffee shop, holding the flimsy card tightly in his sweaty palm. His heart was still beating slightly out of rhythm by the time he reached his car. He checked in the side mirror to make sure his face wasn't as red anymore, then opened the door and got inside.

"It's about time Dad! Where's the juice?" Edith complained, once again kicking the back of his seat as Gru sat down in it. The violent kicking was all he needed to bring him back to reality.

"What? Oh yes, the juice!" Gru slammed his head into the steering wheel out of irritation, causing the horn to go off. It screamed loudly, but the young girls in the back seat could scream even louder.

"YOU DIDN'T GET THE JUICE?" Margo and Edith whined in unison. The little girl beside them could only hug her fluffy unicorn and stare at the ground sadly. She began to shake silently in her tiny blue denim overalls.

"Please, no crying! I will go and get the juice!"

"You'd **better** get it!" Edith commanded, throwing another kick at his seat.

"Edith!" Margo snapped at her rude sister.

"Do not be talking to me like that, young lady!" Gru's temper rose, his good mood all but forgotten. "You need to be calmer and to stop kicking my seat!" He shook his finger threateningly at her.

"MAKE ME!" Edith screamed, sending a fury of kicks in his direction.

"EDITH STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Margo hollered to the girl, her hands covering her ears in an attempt to drown out the screaming.

"Why no juju?" Agnes finally cried, hugging her toy close to her. Tears rolled down her chubby, pink cheeks as her large eyes closed tightly. "No juju….no juju….no juju…" She mumbled quietly to herself as her small body rocked back and forth.

"You're making Agnes upset!" Margo shoved her sister into the side of the car.

"She's probably upset because you're still breathing!" Edith shoved back.

"SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU!"

Gru slumped in his car seat and moaned; a headache beginning to overtake him. The car horn was still blaring loudly, while the noise in the backseat rose higher as a physical struggle broke out. _What a morning. _

* * *

><p>"Home finally!" Gru sighed in relief as he walked up the cracked driveway. Every house in the neighborhood was clean, bright, and identical; except, of course, for his. His house stood an entire story taller than the rest, and wore dark and faded shingles. His lawn was dry and dead, which contrasted horribly with the many well-cared-for lawns surrounding it. While dragging his feet, he entered the intimidating house and plopped onto a large red sofa. This morning had only started two hours ago, yet he was already exhausted. He kicked his tiny black shoes off his feet, and threw his grey and black striped scarf onto the lamp beside him. He yawned as he stretched out on the soft cushions; his eyelids were growing heavy. <em>Now would be the perfect time for a nap…<em>

Just as he was drifting off, a small bushy animal jumped on his chest. Gru bolted upright out of surprise, but quickly recovered. "Kyle!" He screamed at the mutant creature, which looked more like a piranha with fur than anything else. Kyle pulled his long, slobbery tongue out of his toothy mouth and began to lick his master. Gru shoved his pet onto the floor and wiped his face with his black jacket.

As he busily moved his jacket, a card fell out of the pocket and landed next to his feet. Gru paused as he remembered the contents of that card, and then slowly bent down to pick it up. His heart began to pound again. That beautiful woman had told him to call her. Should he?

His mind racing, Gru got off the couch and began to pace the room. Kyle quickly followed after him as he marched, fascinated by this new game. "This is stupid!" The man cried aloud to himself, throwing his arms in the air out of frustration. "Why should I, the **number one villain**, worry about calling some woman? She means nothing! It is a waste of my time!" His pacing grew faster and more erratic, and the little pet was struggling to keep up. "I have more important things to be doing!"

He nodded to himself and stomped his feet in agreement; Kyle jumping with glee after every stomp. "It is decided! I will not call her. I will not even think of her!" He threw the business card across the room and turned his back from it. Kyle chased after the object like it was a Frisbee, catching it in midair. "Then again…" He couldn't help but think back to their meeting in the coffee shop; the woman's smile still shining in his memory. Blushing, he walked over to Kyle and rescued the slightly beaten paper from the creature's jagged teeth. "It could be nice…" His voice trailed off, as he began to imagine her slender form and her tight –

"Get a hold of yourself!" He said as he shook his head vigorously. "Why would she be interested in me? I am not attractive! I do not have money! And I have three screaming children!" These thoughts depressed him, making him slouch against the wall. He felt his confidence drop lower with every second. 'It is true. There is nothing I have to offer to a beautiful woman. I would be foolish to think I had a chance." His body dropped to the floor, and his fingers found with a misplaced thread in the carpet. He began to mindlessly tug at it. Kyle, worn out from all the excitement, curled up next to his master and drifted off to sleep. Gru sat in silence for many minutes. He knew he wasn't much of a catch, but part of him still wanted to give her a call. After all, she did seem genuinely interested in him; so something about him must have caught her eye. And most women would never even given him the time of day, let alone their phone number! But this one had. He couldn't help but feel that there was something special about this woman, and that if he didn't call her, he would regret it.

"But when should I call her? Would it be too soon to do so now? How about in an hour? What is the general rule for this? If I call her too soon, will I look desperate? But if I wait too long, will I look uninterested? I do not know! Arrrgh!" He cried out in embarrassment. "I cannot be calling her! I would not know what to say! I should just forget it!" Gru stopped talking and cupped his face in his hands as he moaned softly. "But I want to see her…" His voice trailed off as he pushed himself off of the floor. Unable to decide, he began to pace back and forth once more, lost in his thoughts and confusions.

* * *

><p>In the heart of the city, there lived a man whose hair had turned grey far too early in life; yet his light grey head seemed to fit his eccentric personality, so he didn't mind it. He lived with his cat on the 26th floor of a very tall skyscraper, where he had a magnificent view of the entire city. He was an inventor, and he had made a living for himself by selling his inventions; the ones that actually worked, anyway. Today started out like any other; he was hunched over his work bench, laboring on his newest idea. His glasses slipped down to the tip of his very pointy nose as he was heavily concentrating on this delicate procedure. He knew he must be very precise on adding the tiny screws into this miniature grenade; otherwise it could explode in his face. And this was no easy task since the grenade was roughly the size of an M&amp;M. He absentmindedly stuck his tongue out and held his breath with every turn of the screwdriver.<p>

"Mrruur!" An orange tabby cat chattered as he pawed the man's long white lab coat, wanting to be fed.

The man waved a hand at the cat, and responded to him without ever looking away from his work. "Not now, Arthur! I already fed you an hour ago!" The cat, unwilling to give up so easily, began to rub against the man's legs and purred loudly. Arthur knew instinctively, as all cats do, that acting as cute as possible was bound to get him the attention he demanded. However, the man would still not look away, and this time, ignored the cat completely. The tabby snorted in annoyance.

"Just…a little bit more!" The inventor spoke in a whisper, for no particular reason. He began to sweat as he nervously leaned forward, focusing all his energy on this last screw. He held his breath and bit his tongue once again, afraid that the slightest mistake could make it explode…

**BANG BANG BANG!** A violent knock on the front door destroyed the silence, making the man jump in surprise. As he jumped, his screwdriver hit the side of the miniature grenade, and it exploded in a puff of dark grey smoke. The man stared at the table where his invention sat just seconds ago, his jaw hanging open. It didn't take him long to recover from the shock, however.

"What kind of explosion was that?" He yelled angrily, ripping his glasses off his face and throwing them across the room. His sudden anger scared the cat, who quickly hid under the desk. "It should have been at least three times bigger! What a useless waste of time! Why can't I ever design something that actually makes sense?"

"Because _you_don't make sense." Something spoke from behind him.

"Wah!" The man screamed and quickly spun around to face whatever snuck into his apartment. His eyes widened as he saw the lean, blonde woman before him. A smile quickly spread across his face. "Little sister! It's my little sister!" He cried and rushed over to her. Before she could stop him, he had flung his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "I haven't seen you in ten years!"

"Yes, it's been so long. Let go of me!" She snapped, trying to push away from him. The man finally let go of her, still smiling broadly.

"Look at my little sister! All grown up! Your hair is so long!" He reached over and pulled at her pale hair, placing his head next to hers. "It's so light. It's practically the color of my hair!"

She scowled and yanked her hair out of his grasp. "It is **not** like yours. At all." She crossed her arms angrily and looked away from him. She knew it was a mistake going to his place, because he had always annoyed her. But she had no choice, she was here to do a mission and that was the important thing. She sighed in defeat and looked back at him. He was smiling dumbly back at her. She groaned softly. "So uh, I hope you don't mind, but I let myself in. I knocked but you didn't answer."

The man raised his eyebrows curiously. "But it was dead bolted. How did you…" He shrugged and his wide grin spread across his face. "Oh you! You've always been so weird!" He rushed forward to hug her again, but this time she was able to back off in time to avoid it.

"Don't hug me. In fact, don't touch me. Ever." She stated, holding her hand up towards him.

"Got it." He nodded, resisting the urge to hug her again. He loved his little sister dearly, and yet she never seemed to like him very much. He had missed her a great deal over these ten years, and wished for her to call every day. And now she was standing before him! He couldn't have been happier. He vowed to himself to make her happy, to make her love him. And if that meant he couldn't hug her, than he wouldn't hug her; no matter how much he wanted to squeeze his little baby sister. He smiled dumbly and squeezed himself, lost in his imagination of happy siblings.

The sister rolled her eyes at the sight of him. He was always so weird. "Hey Silver! Wake up!"

"Huh?" He asked, being torn from his reverie. "Oh sis, when did you get here?"

She smacked her forehead with her palm. How could she possibly put up with him?

"Hey R—"

"It's Wren!" She screamed, cutting him off. He was momentarily stunned at her reaction, and could only blink in response. She turned away, slightly embarrassed at her outburst. She cleared her throat and spoke calmly. "My name is Wren now." She lifted her eyes back to his. "Remember that." He nodded in understanding without speaking. Wren pulled at her sleeves to keep her hands busy. Her brother began to sway back and forth where he stood, not knowing what to say.

The awkward silence continued. Wren could hardly bare it. She moved her eyes across his apartment to keep herself distracted. Besides the area with the work bench, the place was very clean. The small kitchen opened up to the living room, which had a short couch that stood on a shaggy red carpet and a small TV pushed against the wall. The work bench sat on the far end, with the bathroom next to it. Other than that, the room was empty. There was a door adjacent to it, which Wren assumed was the only bedroom.

Without much to look at, Wren couldn't stay distracted, and the silence began to gnaw at her. She kicked at the two small bags by her feet, which reminded her why she was there. She looked up hesitantly at her brother, and placed a fake smile on her face. "So uh, Silver. I kinda need a place to stay."

His large smile quickly replaced itself upon hearing those words. "So you came to me? Oh sis! That makes me so happy! Of course you can stay here! I mean, you'll have to sleep on the couch for a while. But I can probably put in another bedroom soon enough. The living room is big enough to split, I think. This will be great! We can stay up late eating ice cream and talking about things we like to do! Oh, we can go visit the new museum that just opened up and watch movies and eat out and feed pigeons in the park-"

Wren sighed heavily. Her brother could talk forever if she let him. His brain never stopped. It would jump from one thing to another in no time at all. "Silver!" She screamed, cutting him off again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm talking too much again, aren't I? I need to stop doing that. I mean, it's just so easy to start rambling, because there's so much to think about! I mean, think of all the things—"

"Stop it! Listen!" She pointed her finger at him, as if to show that it was time to get serious. "I'm not here to play. I'm here on business. I just need some place to stay while I work."

"Oh…" His face fell, his hopes dashed. He looked up at his sister as she placed her bags on the sofa and sat down. _Well, she may not be here to stay, but at least she came to visit. I'll make this visit the best she's ever had, and then she'll want to come back again and again! _He made his hands into fists and nodded with determination. "Okay then," he paused and spoke her name carefully, "_Wren_. Shall I make lunch, or do you have to go do this…business?"

As Wren opened her mouth to respond, her cell phone rang. She smirked as she picked it up and read the number. "Took him long enough!" She remarked. Silver looked at her questioningly, but didn't say anything. She flipped her small black phone open, and spoke in a sweet, syrupy voice. "Hello?"


	3. Chapter 3

**I like legs. **

**And**** short chapter is short.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 3.<p>

"Uh, h-hello. This is Gru. We were speaking at the coffee shop. T-this is Wren, yes?"

"Why yes, this is Wren. I'm flattered that you were able to read my name off the card I gave you." Her tone came off as very mocking, though to herself it sounded playful.

"Well, yes…I mean, that is to say...yes, I did. Uh…yes." He paused, unsure of what to say next. The silence felt heavy.

Wren rolled her eyes. _It's obvious this guy has no idea how to handle this. If I want to get anywhere, I'm going to have to do all the work._ She thought to herself while the stillness continued. Silver tilted his head and blinked slowly at her, wondering what was going on. She finally spoke. "It's great to hear from you! I was worried you wouldn't call."

"But of course I was going to call. I was just uh, busy." He replied stupidly.

_Busy? You're so busy you call me within three hours of meeting me. _She tapped her fingertips on the arm of the couch. "Well I'm so glad you were able to work in some time for me." She said as her syrupy sweet tone returned. "Maybe if you could make more time, we could hang out?"

"I-I was thinking the same, actually." He answered, his voice betraying how nervous he was. "That is…I was hoping…that uh…it might be nice to…"

Wren's fingers moved faster as she grew more impatient. _JUST SPIT IT OUT!_ She screamed in her head while trying to keep her temper from rising. "Yes?" She spoke carefully, trying to keep her tone level.

"Dinner and a movie." He spat out quickly. "That would be nice, yes? I mean, if you don't want to I am understanding completely."

"I would love to!" She closed her eyes and brought her finger to her mouth, pretending to gag. "How about tonight? I'm free around seven. We could meet at the coffee shop." She continued, hoping to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

"The coffee shop. The place where we were earlier today. We met there. I know where that is. The coffee shop at seven. We will have dinner and a movie…" Gru rambled anxiously.

"Yeah. I'll see you there." Wren hung up the phone and tossed it onto the other end of the couch. "Stupid prat. It's like he's never talked to a woman before." She lifted her arms over her head and stretched them. "And now I have to deal with him all night."

"What was _that_ all about? That almost sounded like… Oh my piston gaskets! R-, I mean, Wren! You've got a date! My little sister has a date!" Silver twirled around the apartment like a ballet dancer. Wren quietly watched him, her expression clarifying how annoyed she was. "Oooh! Was that the business you were here for? Do you have a boyfriend? OH THAT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL!" He pranced over to the couch and lifted her into the air rather easily; forgetting that she demanded he never touch her.

"Put me down, you childish oaf! I said put me down! It is NOT a date, and I DO NOT have a boyfriend!" She wriggled out of his grasp and fell to the floor.

"That sure sounded like date plans to me." He responded, before realizing his sister was on the floor. "Sis! Are you okay?" Silver bent down, reaching his arm out to help her up. She knocked his hand away aggressively, and stood up, putting her hands on her hips.

"I REPEAT: This is purely **business **and I don't need you getting in the way!" She snapped and glared at him.

"Business. Got it." He winked at her, causing her temper to rise.

"Dammit Silver! Why couldn't you have died at birth?"

He turned his back to her and moved toward the kitchen. "Well if you aren't meeting your 'business partner' until seven, that means you can have lunch with meeeeeee – your loving brother!" He skipped over to the cupboard and searched through it. He squealed loudly, making Wren cringe. "**Oh Em Gee**! I know just what to make for our reunion lunch! We are going to have…" He paused, taking in a deep breath, before screaming out: "GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES SHAPED LIKE DINOSAURS!"

Wren groaned heavily. "I cannot deal with this crap." She mumbled to herself while digging through her bag on the couch. Suddenly, the orange cat jumped onto the back of the couch, startling her.

"Mrwer." He squeaked, blinking at the newcomer.

"Just great. He has a cat." She glared at the fuzzy animal. "I hate cats."

Arthur stuck his nose in the air, flipping his tail about. He immediately disliked this woman.

"Stop beating your tail in my face!"

The cat didn't listen. He continued to wave his tail towards her, even faster than before. He took pleasure in knowing the human greatly disliked it.

"Fine. Two can play at this game." Wren pulled what looked like a small purple handgun out of her bag. The cat's eyes grew wide while looking at it. The gun had smooth sides that shone brightly, with a black top and a purple belly. Cats love shiny things. Arthur was no different. He stared at it with great interest. "Oh, you like this, huh?" She waved the gun slowly back and forth in front of him. His furry orange head followed it's every move.

"Take this!" She pulled the trigger. A suction dart flew out of the barrel and hit the cat in the face. He bolted off the couch and hastily ran into the next room. The woman laughed joyfully. "Gotcha."

"Are you picking on Arthur?" Silver called from the kitchen. "Don't! He doesn't like it!"

"Shut up, I'm just playing around!" She snapped back. Her eyes wondered around the room, looking for something else to shoot. They fell upon a framed photograph hanging on the wall. In this photo, Silver stood tall, smiling happily and hugging Arthur to him closely. The cat, on the other hand, looked dejected.

"Did you seriously frame a picture of yourself and your dumb cat?" She tilted her head in his direction as she spoke, but never took her eyes off the photo.

"I thought it was cute! He's family, after all!" He said as he flipped over the sandwich that was cooking on the stove. "Ooh! I have to tell you about the time Arthur and I discovered that it's impossible to cook with battery acid! See, everything was working fine at first. It was just another day, and I was running out of ideas for my next experiment-"

"I really hate you." Wren grumbled and shot her gun, aiming for the picture. A suction dart hit Silver squarely in the head. She grinned to herself. "Heh. Gotcha."

* * *

><p>The woman looked at her tiny silver wrist watch. It read five minutes before seven. She turned to the window of the coffee shop that stood behind her and surveyed the reflection. She was wearing a short, tight black dress with small dark high heels, and carried a small velvet purse. Her pale blonde hair was pulled up into an attractive bun, and her face was decorated in light silver makeup. "Perfect." She smiled and faced the empty street. "Isn't very punctual, is he?"<p>

Minutes ticked by. Car after car drove past the shop. Wren shifted her weight uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Gotta focus… I must get this moron to trust me. Whatever it takes." She paused for a moment, and lowered her gaze to her thighs. "I wonder if I should show more leg? Men like legs."

At that moment, Gru's clunky metal car pulled into the parking lot. Smiling confidently she whispered, "I've got this." Her hand shot into the air as she waved at him.

The bald man climbed out of his car clumsily, holding a bouquet of bright red roses. He rushed over to where the beautiful woman was standing and shoved the flowers into her face. "I am here. These are for you. I am sorry for being late." His words were rushed and his cheeks were flushed.

"Oh, um…why thank you." Wren muttered while moving the bouquet out of her vision. She glanced at her date. He was dressed in a black pinstripe suit and he wore a goofy grin. She returned his grin, feeling incredibly awkward. "So uh, movie or dinner first?" She asked, trying not to think about this uneasy night that lay before her.

"I was thinking movie. It is starting soon." He replied hastily. "I found one you are sure to like."

"Oh?" She asked curiously. How could a man she briefly met this morning possibly know her taste in movies?

"Yes. They are calling it the 'Royal Journals.' Many women have been giving it very good reviews." He said, looking at her hopefully.

_A chick flick? Seriously? _Wren screamed in her head, but continued to wear her fake smile. "That sounds lovely. Good choice."

"Then let us go." Gru walked over to his car and opened the door to the passenger seat. He could feel his heart beating loudly in his chest, and prayed that she couldn't hear it. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but that only made her more nervous. _I will do my best to astound her tonight!_ He vowed as she stepped into the car and softly closed the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Soo sorry for the lag. I was on vacation for a few weeks. BUT I'M BACK SO THE STORY IS BACK. The story was like, WHERE ARE YOU! HELP MEEEEE. (If I leave again I'll warn the story beforehand. It deserves that much, at least.) BUT FOR NOW ENJOY. **

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><p>Chapter 4.<p>

They reached the theater with fifteen minutes to spare. "This is good. It is giving us time for the popcorns!" Gru said cheerfully, opening the door to the building for his date to walk through.

"Popcorns?" Wren mocked him under her breath as they made their way up to the ticket counter.

Behind the counter sat a small blonde teenager with a black ski cap on her head. "Can I help you?" She asked as her blue eyes stared at them dully. Gru opened his mouth to speak, but Wren quickly cut him off.

"Why hello there…" she paused as she read the teen's nametag. "Evelyn." Clearing her throat, she continued. "Two adults for that 'Royal Book Writing Session' or whatever." She smirked as she pulled her wallet out of her purse and opened it, exposing a collection of many different cards. "And don't bother to charge me. I'm a member of the Premium Theater Viewing Club. We get all of our tickets for free." She lifted a card out of its place with two of her fingertips and held it up for the employee to see.

The employee slid her tongue along her braces as she surveyed the card. Eventually she spoke out in a bored tone. "That says 'license to kill.'"

"Oh, does it?" Wren glanced smugly at Gru as she replaced the card with the correct one and handed it to the girl. "My bad."

"Whatever." Evelyn mumbled as she took the card from her. After scanning it over, she raised her eyes to the woman before her. "I've never heard of this club before." Her voice was still crawling with boredom and disinterest.

"That's because it's a club for the elite. Do not ask questions."

"Whatever." She repeated and shrugged, waving them into the theater.

The theater opened into a wide space with a concession stand sitting in the middle of it. Off to the left and the right were hallways leading to different viewing rooms. The entire building smelled of butter. Once they were inside, Gru hastily turned to his date. "Have you ever used it? The license?"

Wren burst into laughter and patted Gru on the back. "You're pretty funny, Poptart."

"Poptart? How is it that I am resembling a Poptart?" Gru questioned upon reaching the concession stand. "And you did not answer my question!"

She grinned. She knew the license would catch his interest. If things continued this well, Wren would have what she wanted by the end of the date.

"Order when you're ready." A booming voice interrupted their conversation. They looked up to see a very beefy looking man towering over them.

"Why yes, we wanted some popcorns –" Gru began, but once again was cut off by the woman beside him.

"I think you should know…" Wren searched the man for his nametag, but couldn't find it. She finished off lamely with "…Sir."

"Know?" He asked, hunching over like a gorilla.

"The woman at the ticket counter has been letting people in for free. She let the couple in front of us just waltz right in."

"What?" He grunted, leaving his position and sprinting up to the front of the building.

"Cake." She chuckled to herself as she hopped over the counter.

"What are you doing?" Gru hissed at her. "The girl let us in with your discount card!"

Wren explored behind the counter, locating a stack of empty paper bowls that were used to hold food. She opened the door to the popcorn machine and quickly shoveled the contents into the bowl until it was full. "Don't you get it? There _is no club._ I just didn't want to pay."

"Really?" He blinked slowly at her, a smile crawling up his face. "That is devious."

"I know. You want a coke?" She asked as she filled an empty cup at the soda fountain.

He nodded. "Why yes, thank you. But you should hurry. That big man will be returning. And I have not my freeze ray."

"Still? Pity. I wanted to see it." She handed the drinks and popcorn to her date and skipped over the counter back to his side. She looked up at him, smiling. "Shall we?"

They made their way to the appropriate room just as the lights were beginning to dim. "Let's sit in the back!" Wren whispered, tugging Gru along by the arm through rows of seats. They settled in their chairs just as the trailers started.

"Ah. I love to watch trailers." Gru said while taking a sip of soda. "They are always so funny!"

"Yeah…a riot." Wren rolled her eyes.

Suddenly someone's phone rang. Loudly. The man answered. "Hello?" His voice boomed throughout the room. "No, I didn't. Uh huh. Your boss said **that?** Hahaha!"

"What a jerk! If only I had my freeze ray, I could end that call immediately!"

"Tsk tsk. People should know better than to talk during movies." Wren reached into her purse and took out her small purple hand gun. Hardly taking any time to aim, she shot the disruptive man in the neck with a small black dart. He fell over, immediately unconscious. She tucked her gun safely back into her bag and whispered to her date. "Now we can enjoy the movie."

Gru could only stare at her. The woman had turned her attention to the movie screen and didn't notice his gawking expression. He tried to watch the film, but found it impossible. He kept one eye on Wren for the rest of the time.

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><p>"I hope you are liking this restaurant?" Gru asked his date as they sat down at a fancy table. The restaurant itself was extravagant. The room contained so many windows that there seemed to be no solid walls between them. Heavy dark red drapes covered every window and many golden chandeliers hung from the tall, glamorous ceiling. The tables were covered with a spotless white cloth and scattered rose petals. Atop each table sat a cluster of tiny white candles. The flames of the candles danced around the room busily. Wren tried to smile at him but found it difficult.<p>

"It's very…gaudy." She said through clenched teeth.

Gru nodded and grinned widely. "I am glad you are enjoying it." His eyes stopped on her face and he breathed deeply. She quickly hid behind her menu.

"May I get you two something to drink?" A tall man with protruding teeth interrupted their tension. He was dressed in a tiny black suit that hardly fit him. It was almost comical. He looked back and forth between the couple before Gru finally spoke.

"I will be ordering an iced tea." He glanced over to the woman sitting across from him, blushing softly.

Wren turned to the waiter gratefully. "Get me your tallest glass of wine. And leave the bottle."

The man bowed and walked off to fetch their drinks. Gru cleared his throat nervously to break the silence. "So, please be telling me more about yourself. What is it you are doing for a living?"

"Me?" Wren scratched her neck while picking her words carefully. She immediately regretted not making up a story before the date. "You see…I'm…unemployed! Yes, that's right." She beamed at him, proud of how quickly she was able to form this lie. "I've been unable to find work so I just recently moved to this city to live with my brother. I've been holding out for a position as an assistant. I'm very good with paperwork you see." She stared straight into his eyes and smiled slyly, going in for the kill. "Perhaps working with a villain. I think that would be interesting."

Gru's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A villain?"

"Why yes. I just find them so…appealing. Attractive. Intriguing."

A blush quickly spread across his face like wild fire, flowing to the tip of his pointed nose. "Well you see Miss Wren, I just happen to be a villain. I am the man who stole the moon, Felonious Gru!"

Wren gasped loudly, hoping it didn't sound forced. "That was _you?_ Why you are a master!" She put her hand on top of his for a split second, and his blush grew fiercely. "It's such an honor to meet you!"

"Why…why thank you." Gru tried to speak, but his words wouldn't form clearly. His heart had jumped into his throat and he was sure she could hear it. Her hand had felt so cold and soft when it touched his. He wanted to feel it again. He had only just met this woman and yet he found himself wanting to make her happy. Suddenly an idea popped into his head. "Well Miss Wren…if you are looking for work, I am looking for a new assistant."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. My old one recently…retired. I cannot pay you too much, but I promise the work will be interesting. And I am believing that you are well qualified for it. I was quite impressed with everything you pulled off tonight, you know...the way you talked your way into free tickets, your clever plan of getting free popcorns. And the way you handle a gun! So quickly! Pow! Rude man is out like a light!" He chuckled softly and Wren joined in. He paused long enough to regain a serious tone. "You may have the job, if you wish." He held his breath while waiting for her answer.

"I accept! Thank you so much Poptart!" She took his hand and held it with both of hers. Her entire face seemed to glow with joy. "I've never been so happy!"

Gru couldn't help but smile at his ridiculous new nickname. He felt a strange sense of emptiness when she let go of his hand.

She smiled to herself. A job well done. At least, part of the job was done. She had accomplished what she needed to tonight. The hardest part of the job, however, was just beginning.

Wren lifted her wine glass toward her new boss. "To a new job."

Gru clanked his iced tea against her glass with a smile. "To a new beginning."


	5. Chapter 5

**I wrote it. **

Chapter 5.

"Well? How did it go?"

Gru was bombarded with questions the moment he opened the door. He glared at the old man blocking the doorway into his house. "Dr. Nefario!" He screamed. "Do you not have something you should be doing?"

"It's not every day you have a date! Now tell me how it went! Did you get…y'know, lucky?" He winked and nudged his colleague in the ribs with his elbow. "Eh? You can tell me."

"We did no such thing! We had dinner, I drove her home! That is it! Now get out of my way!" Gru shoved past the wrinkled old man and stumbled into the kitchen. He sat down on a red vinyl bar stool and rested his arms on the counter. He was blushing, but he couldn't let Nefario know that. He slapped his cheeks repeatedly as his friend entered the room.

"Was it not good then?"

"It was wonderful." Gru muttered.

"What was that? It was dunderful? That's not even a word, is it?" Nefario asked as he pulled out the stool next to him.

Gru sighed heavily. "Why are you so old?" Just then, he paused as his memory drifted back to the conversation at dinner. He glanced over at the man who was trying to lift himself onto the chair. "So…Dr. Nefario...something of importance _did_ come up at dinner."

"Did it now?" He asked as he finally pulled himself upright. He turned his head to look at Gru.

"Well I was talking to Wren-"

"That the woman?" He interrupted.

"Yes, that is the woman." Gru rolled his eyes. "As I was saying, I was talking to her and she needed a job. And she was very appealing."

"Appealing you say?" The old man clicked his tongue and winked at his friend.

"No, not like that! I mean, yes like that! I mean, oh! Shut up!" Gru glared down his long pointed nose at the man beside him. "Basically I offered her _your_ job, and she took it." He spoke, his tone sounding aggravated.

"My job? But I do that."

"You are old. She is hot." He rested his hand on the old man's shoulder. "Did you not say you wanted to retire? Travel? See the world?"

"I suppose I did. I do, really. But to just leave you like this – "

"She would be here to help. She is amazing at what she does." A smile quickly spread across his face as he imagined her in his lab, helping him with missions. He soon realized his friend was staring at him, and he hastily broke the silence. "Take your vacation. Travel, Nefario!"

"Well…it is mighty tempting…" His voice trailed off in thought. After sitting for a moment, he continued. "Well, maybe I could go just for a little while. Let you get bored with this girlfriend. Then I'll come back. That could be rather nice."

"Yes, yes, it sounds wonderful. So can I help you pack?" Gru stood up and reached over to help his ex-colleague down. Suddenly, they heard screaming voices coming from the hallway.

"Dad's finally home! Oh you're going to get it!"

"I'll hurt you, Margo! Come back here!"

Margo rushed into the room, Edith at her heels. "Dad Dad Dad!"

"Don't believe her! Whatever she says it's not true!" The blonde girl shouted.

Gru raised an eyebrow. "Just what is it that I should not be believing?"

Margo smiled smugly at Edith before turning to her father. Still grinning, she handed him a folded piece of paper. After opening it, his eyes slowly scanned the contents.

"What is this? They want me to come down to the school to discuss Edith's behavior!" His voice boomed angrily throughout the kitchen.

Edith sighed. "It's no big deal, Dad. They're all freaking out over nothing."

"Freaking out over the nothing? They say you brought a dangerous weapon to the school! What is this weapon they speak of!" He demanded.

There was silence. Edith's eyes fell to the floor. Gru crossed his arms angrily. "So?"

The quietness continued. Edith began to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet. Finally, Margo spoke up. "I believe it was your Freeze Ray Dad. Didn't you notice it had gone missing today?'

A shameful expression clouded Edith's pale face. Gru gasped. "Freeze Ray?" He blurted. His bald head turned a bright red and he began to mutter, trying to form words. His entire body started to shake with anger. "Took…..ray….I said the no….over and over…to the school!" Edith inched her way toward the exit. Gru finally found his voice. "Oh no you do not, young lady!"

Dragging her feet, she walked back over to face him. "But Dad! Everyone was going to bring something cool! I was just borrowing it! It's not like I shot anyone important! It was just the teacher, and she thawed out quickly enough!"

"No buts! I am tired of the buts!" He sighed. He put his hand to his forehead and massaged his temples. "You were shooting the teacher."

Margo shook her head at her sister. "Tsk Tsk Tsk."

Edith stuck her tongue out at her. Margo returned the favor.

Gru spoke again. "Edith you are…what is that word I am looking for?"

"Grounded?" Margo added helpfully. The two girls glared at each other.

"Yes that is the word! Edith is grounded!" Gru tucked the note into his fancy jacket pocket. "I will go and talk to your teacher, but I will not be enjoying this."

Edith looked down at the ground again. "I'm sorry Dad."

"And where is my Freeze Ray now, Edith?"

She paused. Margo raised an eyebrow at her. Gru crossed his arms. The silence was heavy.

"Well?" Margo and Gru snapped in unison. Edith laughed nervously.

"Hehe…they said…they would hold onto it until you got down there…"

"WHAT?" Gru shouted, throwing his arms into the air. "This is not happening!"

Just then Agnes sauntered into the room. She was dressed in blue pajamas and her fluffy unicorn sat atop her head. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and walked over to Gru. Her tiny hands grabbed his jacket and tugged on it lightly. Feeling his anger melt away, he looked down at his tiniest daughter lovingly. "Yes, Agnes?"

"Da Daa." She cooed softly. He lifted her up into his arms, and she threw her tiny hands around his head, laying hers on his shoulder. The fluffy unicorn slipped away from her and landed on the floor.

"Yes, I am home Agnes." Gru spoke tenderly, patting her small head.

She yawned. He looked over at the two girls standing on the floor in front of him. "All right. No more yelling for tonight. It is bedtime now. Go and brush your teeth, and I will tuck you in." As the girls scampered off down the hall, he called after them, "And Edith-"

The girl popped her head in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"You are still grounded!"

"Aw man!" She groaned and rushed off down the hallway.

Gru bent down, picked the fluffy unicorn off the floor, and handed it to Agnes. He walked down the hall heading toward their room and said, "It's time for kittens to sleep."

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><p>The sun was just beginning to rise as its beams shone into the apartment. The rays reached Wren's eyes, waking her up. She buried her face in the pillow and groaned. "Ugh. I hate mornings."<p>

"But your bestest brother loves them~!" A horribly energetic voice rang throughout the apartment.

Wren rolled over to her other side and fell off the edge of the couch. "Umph!" She moaned as she hit the floor. Lifting her head, she threw it in the direction of the annoyance. "WHAT are you doing in my sleeping area?" She demanded rather harshly.

Silver raised a cup of coffee in the air to acknowledge her. "You don't sleep in the kitchen, silly!"

She grabbed the pillow and shoved it over her head. "I hate you so much."

Her brother walked out of the kitchen and sat down on the now empty couch. "You're just cranky." He said matter-of-factly as Arthur jumped onto his lap. He stroked his pet and in return, the cat waved his tail in his owner's face.

Wren closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out the bright sunlight and recapture the last moments of sleep. The only noise in the room was the sound of Silver sipping his coffee. She pulled her pillow even tighter around her ears, trying desperately to ignore him. His sipping, however, only seemed to grow louder. "Aw forget it!" She said as she sat up. Sighing, she checked the time on her phone. "I have to get going soon enough anyway." She pulled herself begrudgingly off the floor.

"So you're meeting your boyfriend again today? Gettin' kinda serious, huh?"

She turned around and threw her pillow at Silver, making him spill his coffee on Arthur. "MREWER!" The cat cried, racing out of the room like a bat out of hell.

"Oh no! My coffee!" Silver bellowed.

"He's not my boyfriend! Learn to shut up! You and your dumb cat!" She barked at him. She then bent over to dig through her bag, finally pulling out a box of cigarettes.

Silver had picked up a rag, and was starting to mop up his split beverage. "I know we're not supposed to cry over split milk, but split coffee is such a bigger crime." He sniffed, trying to hold back his tears. Wren laughed maliciously at the sight of her pathetic brother crying over coffee.

She pulled out a single cigarette, sparked her lighter, and connected the two. A small stream of smoke rose from the stick as she put it to her mouth.

"Wren!" Her brother spoke sharply. "You can't smoke in here! It'll bug Arthur!"

She groaned, lowering her cigarette. "That damn cat…"

"You'll make yourself sick with those, baby sister." He added, looking concerned.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" She snapped and walked out onto the balcony.

The morning air was crisp and cool against her skin. Her eyes glanced down at the waking city beneath her. Putting the stick to her lips, she finally inhaled. As she exhaled, a cloud of smoke burst into the air. "Coming here was a dumb idea." She sighed softly, staring into the sky. Her mind raced with all the things that awaited her today; the day she began working as an assistant for Gru.


	6. Chapter 6

**Soo recently I've been wondering if my chapters are too short. Or are they just right? If anybody reads this, can you give me some opinions? I LOVE OPINIONS.**

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><p>Chapter 6.<p>

As the city below bustled with life, and Wren's cigarette reached its end, she knew she could put off her day no longer. She tossed the cigarette butt to the ground, smothered it with her foot, and returned inside the cramped apartment.

Her brother was now in the kitchen, frying eggs. A quick glance at the couch told her he had given up on trying to remove the coffee stain, which had spread over most of the cushion. She smirked as she admired her handiwork, then grabbed her bag and rushed to the bathroom.

Moments later she emerged, fully dressed in her favorite outfit: a form fitting grey shirt with only one sleeve, covering her entire right arm, and tight dark purple jeans. On her bare arm, she hung six grey elastic bands, each baring a purple triangle. Most people thought the bands were a little silly, but they were useful for holding tiny objects close to her, such as darts and needles. Wren liked them.

"Are you hungry, sister?" Silver asked her as she walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the very small counter.

"I am." She spoke harshly, for no particular reason other than he was annoying her. "Make me some bacon."

"Okay!" He turned his back to her as he searched the fridge for meat. "So what do you have planned with…with that guy today?"

"None of your damn business." She said as she drummed her fingers on the counter, waiting impatiently for her bacon.

"None of my business. Got it." Silver repeated as he threw the newly found bacon into a pan. The apartment was filled with a hissing noise and the heavy smell of cooking meat. Arthur, never one to miss out on bacon, raced back into the room. He danced around Silver's ankles excitedly, chattering away.

"Mrew! Muurrrt! Mewrer!"

Silver chuckled. "Oh Arthur. You can't have any until it's done cooking, you silly kitty!"

Wren groaned. "Stop talking to that damn cat. He can't even understand you!"

"Oh, I'm sure he can. He's a smart kitty." He reached down to pet his cat on the head. "Are you a smart kitty? Yes you are! Yes you are!"

Wren rolled her eyes as Silver set down the plate of fresh bacon before her. "Die. Alone." She snapped at him and shoved the food into her mouth.

"Oh you and your death threats! So cute!" He said back as he took a piece of bacon, ripped it into little pieces, and set them on the floor. Arthur gobbled them up quickly.

Wren was enjoying the bacon so much that she decided to ignore him calling her 'cute'. She finished the plate, then hopped off the chair and grabbed her shoes that were by the door. She shoved the dark grey boots onto her feet and swiftly tied together the long purple laces.

"Leaving already?" Silver asked as he walked over to the door, holding Arthur in his arms.

"Got some place to be."

"Okay then. Have fun and come back soon!" He said to her as he waved Arthur's paw in her direction. Arthur looked irritated. For a split second, Wren felt pity for the orange cat. But enough was enough, and she bolted out the door and sped down the hallway, glad to be away from him.

About an hour later, Wren had made it to Gru's house. She stood outside, panting, with her hands on her knees. She regretted not asking Silver for a ride. Not having transportation in a city this big was ridiculous. She glanced up at the dark house, not surprised by its looks at all. After catching her breath, she flipped her soft, light hair over her shoulder and approached the front door. She rang the bell.

_**Ding Dong. **_

The door opened quickly, as if Gru had been waiting nearby. "Oh hello! Wren! It is good to be seeing you!" He moved aside as he gestured her into the house. "Please do be coming in!" Wren stepped into the hallway gingerly, taking the time to absorb what her new environment held. The house was very well kept, and the scent of lemon was everywhere. She spotted old newspaper clippings that had been framed, which were now hanging on the wall. They were about Gru, of course, and his many escapades.

"Are you hungry? Would like you something to eat, perhaps?" Gru asked, breaking the silence.

"No thank you." Wren smiled mischievously at him. "I'm quite anxious to see my new work area."

"Well then, let us not dawdle!" He looked at her, blushing slightly. He then lifted his arm toward a room nearby. "To the living room, if you please."

Wren walked into the room first, and was immediately repulsed by the odd couch that sat in the corner. She shook her head, trying to replace her expression with one of warmth. Her fake grin wide, she turned to Gru. "What a lovely home."

Gru's blush seemed to engulf his entire head. "Thank you." They smiled at each other for one awkward moment, and then Gru turned to a chair in the corner.

As Wren gazed at the chair, she had to wonder if this man had any sense in taste at all. It was sculpted out of bronze, in the shape of a Rhinoceros, with its horn held high. Soft red velvet covered the interior. Gru sat down in it, and patted the seat, looking over at her. "Come and join me."

She had hoped they would get right to work, but it seemed to her that he wanted to flirt some more. Slightly confused and disgusted, Wren did as she was told and squeezed next to him in the tiny Rhino chair. Gru's hand brushed against what appeared to be a button on the armrest, and suddenly the seat of the chair shot out into the middle of the room. Wren, not expecting any movement, clutched Gru's shoulder tightly.

A loud clanging noise made her look up to the ceiling. A metal cannon, that seemed to come out of nowhere, was falling down upon them. She closed her eyes tightly and latched onto Gru even harder. He couldn't help but smile at her reaction.

When she opened her eyes, she realized they weren't in the living room anymore. They were moving down a tunnel that seemed to be illuminated by an eerie blue glow. Still holding on tightly to Gru, she leaned over the edge of her seat and looked down. The tunnel appeared to have no end. She shuddered as the thought of falling entered her mind. She closed her eyes again. After a few seconds, she felt the platform she was riding on slow to a stop. Taking a deep breath, she opened her lids slowly to take in her surroundings.

They appeared to be on solid ground, which made her relax her grip on Gru. She walked off of the platform and into the middle of the large open space before her. The place was a huge network of catwalks, lab tables, and transport tubes, and it was crawling with hundreds, or was it thousands, of busy, tiny, yellow blobs. Wren was expecting those, at least. The report she had received had mentioned Gru's underpaid minions.

Gru cleared his throat, bringing Wren's attention back to him. With a smile as large as his head, he flung his arms into the air and said: "Welcome to my lab!"

Wren nodded in response, her mouth agape. After a moment, she was able to squeak out, "It's impressive."

"Isn't it though?" He took her hand and added, "But we have much to see, we must go!"

Gru began to ramble on about his minions, but Wren wasn't listening. She was here, in his lab, which had been her mission all along. His lab was much larger than she had expected, however, which complicated things. Could she really find what she was looking for in this mess?

He took her past several rooms, all astonishing in their own right. One room held the Time Square Jumbotron that had gone missing several months ago. A rocket ship that looked space worthy sat in another. Wren tried desperately to make a mental map of the place, but quickly lost track of it. It would take her months to sort this place out and locate what needed to be located. But she didn't have that kind of time, and she wasn't exactly that patient. As they stood in a room filled with what looked like dental equipment, Wren spoke up.

"This stuff is nice, but don't you have a master control room of some kind? Y'know, something that would keep a record of everything going on here?"

Gru paused to look at her and Wren panicked. Her mind began to scream as her thoughts raced. _Crap! Was I too blunt?_ _Dammit! Find a way out of this, find a way out of this…_

"Well there is a master computer, yes." Gru said, interrupting her mental freak-out. "I suppose that should have been the first thing I was showing you!" He laughed, and Wren, her horror melting away, sighed in relief. "Come, I will show you it!" Just as he said that, his watch began to beep, and he examined it quickly. "Ah! It is three thirty!"

"Seriously? Did it really take us six hours to go through your lab? And we didn't even get to the master control room!" Wren snapped.

"I must be picking up the girls!" Gru grabbed her hand and rushed through the metal halls.

"But we haven't seen the big computer yet!"

They made it back to the platform, and it slowly began to climb back up to the surface. Wren's nostrils flared. _All this time wasted._

"We shall see the computer later, it is no big deal." Gru spoke, and Wren huffed. She crossed her arms and refused to look at him, but Gru didn't notice. "I am sure that my girls would love to meet you."

Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. Children! She hated those. "Uh…now?" She asked stupidly and Gru chuckled.

"Yes, we shall go pick them up from their school!"

"But…but…what about work? We didn't do anything today!" Wren stammered, trying to find the right excuse to get out of meeting his children and to get back to finding that precious computer.

"It is all right. I actually am planning for a very big mission. I shall fill you in on the details soon, very soon."

"Soon like, tomorrow?"

Gru sighed. "No, I cannot be doing it tomorrow. Apparently I have a parent and teacher conference to attend!"

Wren's mind sparked. "Tomorrow? So you'll be gone?"

"Unfortunately. Sometimes I do not know what to be doing with my girls. And Edith seems to be the biggest troublemaker of the bunch."

Wren nodded as Gru continued with his woes, though she was only half listening. With him gone, that created the perfect opportunity to go sniffing around his lab and find this 'master computer'.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sooo no one bothered to complain about my chapters being short, so I'm going to assume they are actually an enjoyable length! Yippee! So here's a short chapter because you love them!  
><strong>

Chapter 7.

"Heeereeee's your pizza!" The server's high pitched voice screeched throughout the restaurant as she laid their meal down before them. Her head bobbed about as she spoke, and her bright red hair bounced along with it. "I'm so glad you got this pizza, because it's my favorite kind of pizza! You're really going to love it, because I just love it! I know it's really good and you're gonna be so excited when you try it and you'll be all –GAAAAASP- IT'S SO GOOD and I mean really, you'll be wondering if you've ever tried anything better!"

Wren had her head buried in her palm, searching her brain for ideas on how to kill the woman and make it look like an accident. As the server skipped off, she raised her attention back to the situation before her: the family dinner.

The girls had not spoken since they crawled into the car and noticed a stranger in the front seat, and Wren could not decide if this was a good or bad thing. Even though she hated kids, she knew she had to win over the girls in order to gain Gru's full trust. She scratched her neck absent-mindedly as she tried to come up with some sort of small talk.

"Sooooo…..children….school was good, right?" She asked, throwing on a cheesy smile and wringing her hands.

All three of the girls looked up at her for a brief moment, and then returned their heads to the table to continue stuffing their faces. Wren sighed and glanced over to Gru, looking for some help. Gru, however, was lost in eating as well, and had not even noticed the unease around him. Wren slumped down in her chair and crossed her arms.

Just then, she felt a soft tug on her arm, made by little fingers. She looked down to find the smallest child staring at her, and a stuffed animal lying between them on the table. Wren shifted her weight in the chair before responding with, "Um, hi there, little girl." Agnes said nothing, and kept her fragile grip on the woman. "Uuh…" Wren tried to pull her arm away, but the tiny hand would not let go. She looked around for a distraction and brought up the first thing she saw. "Nice unicorn you have there."

Agnes' eyes grew wide and the other girls lifted their heads. "Now she's done it." Margo muttered, making Wren freeze.

"Did what?" She squeaked. Before she knew what was happening, Agnes had jumped out of her chair and onto Wren's neck, causing the two people to hit the floor. "What are you doing?" Wren demanded as she tried to sit up but found it difficult, since the small girl was still clinging to her body.

Gru stood out of his chair quickly to help her up. "Agnes! We do not jump onto people!" He said sternly as he pried his daughter's grip off of Wren's neck. He held the girl in his arms as he turned to his date. "I am sorry that happened."

Wren sat up, rubbing her neck. "No problem."

Agnes stretched her arms out toward Wren, surprising both of the adults. "I think…she has taken a liking to you." Gru said, sounding rather stunned.

"Really?" Wren asked as she climbed back into her chair.

"Don't flatter yourself." Margo interrupted. "She only likes you because you complimented her unicorn."

"Yup." Edith added, reminding everyone that she was still there.

"I still don't like you." The oldest girl snapped harshly.

"Yup."

"Girls! You must be being nice to my new friend!"

As Gru lectured his kids, Wren couldn't help but notice Agnes still reaching out for her. Afraid of the outcome should none of the girls like her, she decided she needed to cozy up to at least one of them. She reached her hand out to touch Agnes', and the girl's tiny fingers curled around her larger ones.

* * *

><p>The moment the vehicle had pulled into the driveway, Edith and Margo rushed out and into the house, slamming the door behind them. Still sitting in the car, Wren sighed softly and shook her head. Gru lifted a sleeping Agnes out of Wren's arms and gave her an understanding smile. "That was a good dinner, no?"<p>

The woman stepped out of the car, the cool night air brushing against her face. "They didn't even give me a chance; they hated me the second they saw me." She stuck her lower lip out and bowed her head.

"That can be happening, believe me." Gru chuckled in reply, still cradling his sleeping daughter. She cooed softly in her sleep, hugging the stuffed unicorn tightly to her chest. He lowered his voice so as not to wake her. "But Agnes is liking you already. Do not worry, the other girls will too."

Wren put her hand on Gru's shoulder. "I really hope so. They seem like great kids. You're a lucky man, Poptart."

"Please explain to me this Poptart! I do not look as one! I do not taste as one! A poptart I clearly am not!"

Wren found herself laughing as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. It had been a long time since she had really laughed; that made it easy to forget how good it felt.

"Quiet! We must not be waking Agnes."

"Oh, right." Wren looked away from the father, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. She closed her eyes tightly, in hopes of blocking out the awkward silence that was now apparent. Gru felt it as well, and gently rocked Agnes in his arms to keep himself busy. Wanting to break the tension, Wren cleared her throat and decided to get back to business. "So when are we meeting again? And what exactly was this mission you spoke of?"

"Oh yes!" Gru grinned. "Our very big mission. I shall be calling you very soon."

"But not tomorrow?" She confirmed hopefully. "Tomorrow you're gone? All day?"

"Tomorrow I am gone."

"Okay! Great! Just call me when you're ready to get back to work then!" Wren waved at him and started off down the sidewalk.

Gru lifted his hand as much as he could without disturbing Agnes and waved weakly. "Goodbye."

Once she was out of sight, Gru entered his house and headed toward the girls' bedroom. He could hear Margo and Edith whispering to each other even before he had opened the door. Once he did, however, they fell silent. Gru eyed them suspiciously.

"Well girls, did you have fun tonight?" He asked them as he tucked Agnes into bed.

Margo and Edith exchanged glances and said nothing.

"I am guessing you did not. Are you going to be telling me why?"

Edith sat against the wall and crossed her arms, staring at her feet in silence. Margo sighed and turned to her father. "Dad, you aren't going to date her, are you?"

For a moment, Gru's eyes drifted and his cheeks turned red until he shook his head softly and looked back at his daughter, fully recovered. "Margo do not be thinking such things. She is here to work with me, that is all."

"Do you like her?" Margo demanded.

"Of course not…" Gru tried to answer convincingly, but instead his voice came out strained. Margo's right eyebrow shot up.

"But you went on a date with her, right?"

"Well…yes…but that was…we are doing just business for now."

"How come?" Margo asked.

"All of these questions are making me tired. We should be going to bed, all of us." Gru pulled back the covers on Margo's bed, but Margo didn't move.

"I don't want you to date her, dad." She stated, crossing her arms and firmly staring at him.

"Me either." Edith added from nearby.

Gru's shoulders dropped as he exhaled, gazing at both of the girls. "I understand." He spoke calmly and sat in-between them, throwing his arms around their shoulders. "We are just becoming a family. Now is not the time for someone else." He pulled them into a hug, which the two girls returned.

Edith stared up at him and smiled. "Yeah! Just us! We don't need anyone else!"

"Definitely." Margo agreed.

Their family hug continued until Gru broke them up. "All right girls, bed time. We have a big day tomorrow."

Edith cringed as she remembered what awaited her in the morning. Margo noticed this, and laughed at her as she crawled into bed. "Scared, Edith?"

"No!" She spat, jumping into her bed and throwing the covers over her head.

"I am quite nervous myself." Gru chuckled. He pulled the blankets off of Edith's head as he replied, "But we shall be getting through this together." The little girl grinned, nodding. Gru walked out of the room, shutting the light off as he went. Before he left he added, "And I shall finally be getting my freeze ray!"

Only a sliver of light from the hallway illuminated the room, casting playful shadows on the red walls. Agnes' gentle breathing was the only sound that could be heard.

"Hey Edith?" Margo called out to her sister in the dark. "What'd you really think of Wren?"

Edith rolled onto her side and buried her head in her pillow. "I think she's a moron."


End file.
